Living the Abundant Life

Today I’m going to read the talk by President Monson titled “Living the Abundant Life“.

So what is the “abundant life” you might ask?

…a life filled with an abundance of success, goodness, and blessings.

I like this concept. I think it’s everyone’s goal, at the start of a new year, to be better than before, to improve, and to set goals and resolutions. However, how many of us end up falling back into the same habits?

President Monson gives tips on HOW to live this “abundant life”:

1. Have a Positive Attitude
2. Believe in Yourself
3. Face Challenges with Courage

Have a Positive Attitude

William James, a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher, wrote, “The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.”¹

To do the best we can and then to choose to be happy about our circumstances, whatever they may be, can bring peace and contentment.

One of the things I’m grateful for is that Becky and I do “accentuate the positive” each week to attempt to focus on good things the other did that week. I think we can be more consistent with this concept, both for each other and also for our kids.

GOAL: I’d like to work on “accentuate the positive” with the kids each night before we go to bed, right after reading. Not only will this help them work on having positive attitudes and looking for the good in others, but it will also show them that we are focused MOST on the GOOD they do and not the BAD.

Charles Swindoll—author, educator, and Christian pastor—said: “Attitude, to me, is more important than … the past, … than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.”²

Believe in Yourself

Don’t limit yourself and don’t let others convince you that you are limited in what you can do. Believe in yourself and then live so as to reach your possibilities.

You can achieve what you believe you can. Trust and believe and have faith.

It’s about “acting as if”. I remember thinking about this when I made my first break through in sales and hit my goal for the year. I wrote down my mission statement, mapped out how I was going to achieve the somewhat lofty result, and then I went out, believed and eventually succeeded.

GOAL: I’ve already worked on setting goals for this quarter and financial goals for the year. I’m going to write out a simple mission statement, one that I can read 3 times per day and see often. As I do this, I know I will believe in myself and be able to remind myself that I believe on a consistent basis.

Face Challenges with Courage

Said the American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide on, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.”⁵

There will be times when you will be frightened and discouraged. You may feel that you are defeated. The odds of obtaining victory may appear overwhelming. At times you may feel like David trying to fight Goliath. But remember—David did win!

I’m excited for the new year.

I’ve issued a “challenge” to the in-laws about losing weight and so far Dad and Norb have signed up for the challenge.

A physical goal I have is to get down from 170.6 to 155 within 90 days. To do this I’m going to eat better, Becky is going to help me with a balanced eating regimen, and I’m going to exercise at least 2 minutes per day to start and increase that gradually. I’m 2 for 2 so far in days meeting this exercise goal (and my legs can feel it).

I’m grateful for the gospel that gives me perspective and hope.

I’m grateful to be back in the program and am committed to fighting the “natural man – an enemy to God”.

Hasta manana!

Nate